Kyren Wilson holds his nerve to set up last eight clash with Luca Brecel in Masters

A Masters finalist seven years ago, Wilson has endured tough times in the flagship tournament that features the world's top 16 players over the past few years, losing in the first round in the past two seasons, to Stuart Bingham in 2023 and Judd Trump in 2024.

Entering the tournament for the first time as a reigning world champion, Wilson will now face Belgium's Luca Brecel in the quarter-finals in a best of 11-frame match on Friday night (7pm).

Against Zhang, Wilson looked in control of the match as he opened up a 3-1 lead, but he was pegged back to 3-3, and then after edging 4-3 ahead with a break of 69, the Chinese world number 10 once again squared things up at 4-4 with a stunning 141 clearance.

Wilson was under big pressure, but kept his cool to see the match out, winning despite making just two breaks of 50-plus in the encounter.

"It was a great match to be involved in," said Wilson, who trains out of Barratts Club in Northampton.

"At 4-4 I had to hang in there and stay positive. I was really impressed with Zhang's long potting, he was floating them in from everywhere.

"Playing as World Champion this season has given me the confidence to see those matches out.

"I know I have a target on my back this year so I didn't want to go out of this one early again.

"A lot has changed for me since I was in the final here seven years ago. I have gone on to bigger and better things, achieving the dream of becoming World Champion.

"But there is still a lot of unfinished business."

Wilson certainly caught the eye in London as he walked out to face Anda wearing a unique colourful waistcoat, which had been designed by 12-year-old schoolgirl Serena, the winner of a competition run by Johnstone's Paint, STEM Learning and WST.

The project challenged children age 11-14 to design a waistcoat, using a theme connected to the science curriculum and also including Johnstone's Paint colour of the year, Acai Berry.

Wilson was one of the judging panel and picked the winner from more than 20 entries, and then met Serena on the eve of the tournament to receive the waistcoat.

"I feel like it was a brave thing to do!" admitted Wilson. "But it's great for the sport and the sponsors and fantastic for the children who made the designs."

Friday night's quarter-final against Brecel will be Wilson's fifth at the Masters.

The Belgian booked his place in the last eight with a 6-3 win over debutant Chris Wakelin on Wednesday night.

The rest of the quarter-final draw sees Neil Robertson take on Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen do battle with Mark Selby and world number one Judd Trump square up to Ding Junhui.